Turn The Page
by Ziver69
Summary: When one chapter ends, another begins...so long as it's not the end of the story. How do you know if it's the end? Why, you simply Turn The Page. Gabby.
1. Chapter 1

My take on what happens after the final scene last season. This is Gabby, so if you're a Gibbs/Abby as father daughter fan or just can't wrap your head around a romantic connection between them...this will not be the story for you. But I hope you'll give it a whirl anyway. This not a fully developed idea yet and I have other fics in the works, so updates won't be at regular intervals. I own nothing and make no profits from my writing. All mistakes are mine.

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He wanted to wake up. He felt sure that this nightmare had gone on long enough and that any second his alarm would go off. He'd groan a little, fighting the early call of a new day as he shook of the remnants of the dream. He'd stretch a bit, even before he cracked an eye open and then give in to the inevitable and open his peepers slowly, letting them adjust. Then would come the BIG stretch, the one where aging bones would snap and crackle a bit more than they did a few years ago and he'd yawn something that sounded somewhere between a yowl and a banshee with a stubbed toe. He'd draw a deep breath in through his nose and roll over, swing his feet over the edge of the bed and then sit there for a few minutes or a few seconds, depending on how urgent the call of nature was that morning.

But, instead, that awful canvas wall stared back at him. The rust color stained his hands and the smell of stale copper permeated his nose, competing with the unknown and excruitiating worry to see which would be the one to push him over the edge and cause him to lose the meager contents of his stomach.

This had to be the longest, most awful day of his life and it was far from over. He could deal with how long this all felt. He would endure hours of this pseudo hell, if only he wasn't in limbo. There was a giant question mark hanging over everything right now...and that...that was killing him. He could think of only one thing that could be worse right now and he wasn't at all prepared to contemplate that scenario. His head and his heart couldn't take that. Nope. Not an option.

"Agent DiNozzo."

Tony sprang to his feet. _It was too soon to be over, wasn't it? This couldn't be good._ One panicked thought began to tumble over another, momentarily making him forget there was a young corpsman waiting for a reply.

"Agent DiNozzo, sir?"

He locked eyes with the young man and realized he was holding a phone out in front of him. "Officer Teague for you, sir. This is a secure line, sir."

"Thanks." Tony reached for the phone and then pulled back, catching another glimpse of his hands. Corpsman Gryse caught his look and shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, sir. It looks dried and I can take care of the phone and get you something to clean up with when you're done."

Tony nodded and took the phone this time. But before he raised it to his ear, he asked, "Any word?"

The young Navy medical man frowned in sympathy as he shook his head and answered, "No, sir, not yet. But I will come and get you as soon as I hear anything."

Again, Tony nodded and put the phone to his ear. "DiNozzo."

"We've got Budd."

"Alive or dead?"

"Mostly alive."

"Joanna..." Tony sighed, frustrated. He really couldn't do puzzles right now.

"He's banged up and bruised, but he'll definately live. Resisting arrest is hazardous to a terrorist's health."

"Luke and the other kids?" Tony could feel his pulse thump in his head just at mentioning the kid's name. The anger he felt toward the boy wasn't something he was proud of, but that was another something he'd deal with later.

"Luke's in custody. Four of the other kids as well, but the rest are in the wind. The kids and Budd are secure and will be transported back to the States on a flight scheduled to leave in two hours."

"I want them heavily guarded! I mean like white on rice! Not a chance anyone's gonna swoop in at the last minute and-"

"Tony!" Joanna cut him off. "No one is going to rescue this scumbag. I promise you." Her voice dropped then, "How is he?"

Tony ran his hand absent-mindedly over his face, nearly gagging when that copper smell permeated his nose. "He came to briefly just before the bird touched down here. I couldn't get close enough to hear over the blades. They rushed him into surgery. All I know right now is that it's a miracle he didn't bleed out before they got him here and that's no gurantee it'll get any better from here on out."

"No news right now is good news, Tony. Hang in there. Ned always said he'd never met anyone as tough as Gibbs. He'll pull through, I'm sure of it."

He knew the appropriate thing to do was to thank Joanna for the encouragement, but he couldn't get the words out. It all seemed like pointless platitudes until he saw those blue eyes staring back at him and a demand to know what the sit-rep was. "Make sure they get back to the States, Joanna. See this through for Ned and Gibbs."

"Of course. Gotta go, Tony. Flight CO is here to get a final briefing."

"Be safe." He said before disconnecting the call and going in search of the corpsman to return the phone.

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"This is...torture!" Abby's fist thumped against her thigh as she picked her head up off of Ellie's shoulder and looked around the room. "Can't we call _them_ or something?"

Vance looked to Ducky, who rose from his seat beside McGee and went to Abby.

"My dear, Anthony has promised to call as soon as he has any further news. For the time being, let us be thankful that Budd and others have been apprehended, Jethro made it to the hospital and is receiving care and that Anthony is safe and there with him." He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side.

"I know, Ducky. I just...I can't stand being so far away and not knowing what's going on or if he's going to be okay." Abby began to cry again. Vance shifted nervously on his feet. McGee traded spots with Bishop, rubbing Abby's back as her tears flowed heavy and fast down her face.

None of them liked this situation; not one bit, but waiting was all they could do for the time being. Wait and pray, so they did both. Over and over and over again.

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Tony was slouched in the hard plastic chair, his head back and eyes closed. He wasn't sleeping but he felt like, if his mind would just stop racing, he could sleep for a week. He nearly gave himself whiplash when someone cleared their throat.

A tall, middle aged man stood before him. He looked as if he'd just donned fresh scrubs. That, or the man had just come on his duty shift. "Special Agent DiNozzo?"

"Yes." Tony pushed himself up halfway before the man held his hand out, indicating that Tony should remain sitting.

The stranger took a seat beside him with a tired huff. "If you don't mind, I could use a few minutes off my feet. Been a long day." He closed his eyes for a second, cleared his throat and opened them to look at Tony. "Lt. Adams. I was the primary surgeon for Special Agent Gibbs."

He tried to swallow, but all the moisture in his mouth and throat seemed to have evaporated and all he could do was stare with apprehensive eyes at the man who would deliver either the worst news he'd gotten since his mother died or the best news since the last time Gibbs had nearly died. He really was getting too old for this. Gibbs was...well, he was friend, mentor, father figure. He was the one constant in Tony's life for the last decade plus, followed closely by the rest of the team, but then all that had stemmed from Gibbs too. He was the root and the rest of them the branches. And he was not ready to lose him.

"It's not good, but it could be a whole lot worse."

"So, he's..." Tony managed, the question hanging in the air.

"Yes, he's alive and stable for the moment. I want to monitor him for the next five hours at least. Barring any setbacks, he needs to be on a transport to Rammstein ASAP."

"Setbacks how? What exactly is wrong with him?"

"I'm a chronological events kinda guy, Agent DiNozzo, so can you tell me where he was hit first?"

"Tony, please. First shot was to the leg." he supplied.

"Alright. That bullet shattered his tibia and fibula."

"But he...he stood up?!" Tony gawped. "He took the shot to the leg and it took him off his feet but he stood back up!"

"My best guess, Tony? We can tell by the damage to the tibia that the shot initially impacted that bone, shattering it on impact and more than likely putting it's trajectory to nick the fibula, fracturing it. The adrenaline must have been enough to get him back on his feet and I can only guess that he had presence of mind to keep most of his weight off the injured leg, thereby preserving the stability of the fibula for that moment, but when he took the second hit to his torso, he dropped his weight back onto the injured leg and the compromised fibula couldn't handle the pressure and crumbled. I was able to do some repair to get it out of the danger zone but considering my other main concerns, it was a lower priority. That leg will need major surgery and it'll set off metal detectors for the rest of his life, but he should be able to walk on it given enough time and physical therapy. It'll never be the same though. And I'm afraid that's the good news."

Tony closed his eyes, trying to wrap his head around what he'd just, basically, been told before he could even think about being ready for the rest because apparently the good news was that his boss had just been forced into retirement. 'He should be able to walk on it' meant that running or other strenuous activity demanded in field work was now no longer part of the picture and Gibbs didn't ride a desk. There was no way a gunshot to his torso could be better news than that, not unless the bullet had managed to miss every major organ. "Bad news is?" He forced himself to maintain eye contact, though his hands shook at his side.

"The bullet entered mid-to lower torso and offside. It penetrated the stomach." The Lt. paused here, giving Tony time to let that sink in before he continued. "The immediate concern with an injury like that is, as you can imagine, blood loss. He lost a great deal of blood as it were, but I have to commend you and the medics. If it weren't for your immediate care and the medics care in further stemming the flow until he arrived here...well, let's just say there wouldn't have been anything I could have done."

"Lt." Tony was polite but he could tell when something was being presented gently and right now, he was a rip the band-aid off kinda guy. "I appreciate the props and all, but can you please just get to the 'but' part of this, because it's been a heck of a bad day and I just really need it given to me straight."

"I can respect that. Alright. Like I said, he's lost a lot of blood and that hasn't helped, but we've managed to get the wound closed and replaced some of the blood lost. He's going to be weak from it and everything else. Our main concern is secondary peritonitis, which is an infection that can develop due to the bacteria that spills into the abdominal cavity from the stomach in an injury like his. The good news here is that because we knew exactly what his injury was and what it involved, we could suction that away and treat it as appropriate. We'll keep him on a highly aggressive round of antibiotics to combat the onset of an infection and keep him on plenty of fluids to keep him hydrated. The bad news is that with the serious potentcy of the bacteria he was exposed to, while the antibiotics are almost sure to do the trick, there's no gurantee he won't still develop an infection. It can be fatal and extremely resistent to antibiotics if the patient develops the infection while on such an aggressive round of antibiotics to begin with. If that happens, we're fighting to find something stronger or that will work better with his immune system and that's very difficult since we're pretty much hitting him with the best we have in order to keep the infection from happening at all. Make sense?"

Tony felt numb. After all this, everything Gibbs had beaten all these years, and he could get taken out by an infection?! He understood, but that didn't mean it made sense. Not one bit. He nodded anyway.

"Which is why I want him at Rammstein ASAP. We can do decently here, but we're just a field hospital and should the worst happen he needs more than we could give him."

"How..." Tony struggled to keep his voice steady. "How long until we know for sure that he's out of danger for developing this infection?"

"If it happens, it's going to happen in the next 24 hours. Which is why I want to monitor him for the next 5 hours and if he remains stable, we put the two of you on a transport to Rammstein immediately."

"When can I see him?"

"Unfortunately, not until they clear him at Rammstein. It's difficult enough to insure a sterile environment in this kind of place, so I want to limit his exposure to as many outside germs as possible until he's somewhere with a better ability to control his immediate environment and, no offense Tony," Adams gave him a pointed look, "you need a shower and a fresh set of clothes in a really bad way."

He could understand the reasoning, but he didn't have to like it. Right now, he just really wanted to see the boss; watch his chest rise and fall for himself. "Fair enough, but I want regular updates until I can see him."

"Not a problem. And I believe we can get you squared away with a shower and some fresh scrubs in the meantime." The surgeon saw the glimmer of hope in Tony's eyes. "But I'm still not okaying a visit until you're in Germany, he's completely stable and responding positively to the antibiotics and you've had a chance to shower and change somewhere with less sand and -" he opened his arms and gestured around, "-this."

"Guess that's that then. I need to use the phone again if that's possible. Need to give my Director a sit-rep and there will be a few people very anxious to know what's going on and how he is."

"I'll get that for you right away and then we'll get you that shower." Adams stood and extended his hand, shaking it firmly. "Sorry to meet you under these circumstances, Tony, but it's been a pleasure nontheless."

"Same here, Lt., and thanks for everything."

He smiled and nodded, turning to go in search of the phone for Tony.

Once the other man was out of sight, Tony let out a heavy breath and closed his eyes. This day was not anywhere close to being over for them and this phone call was definately not going to be easy...not easy at all. Abby was going to be a mess. He hoped the team was ready.

TBC...


	2. Chapter 2

I am really winging it here.

Please take note. I have no medical background so from here on out...yep, mostly winging it. I write because I enjoy it, and because I hope you all do to. All mistakes are mine. I own nothing. Any references to TV shows or characters are not mine.

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The sky was in her in between stage; not quite softening yet with the dawn but not black anymore either...almost as if she's just starting to open her eyes but not yet ready to lift them fully. This was one of her favorite times of the day. She would often make a cup of coffee and sit at the table and watch the sky transform for a fresh, new day. The light would move over the trees, buildings, grass and such as if to gently carress it to wakefullness.

This morning was not to be one of those days and Sister Rosita said another prayer before she lifted the whistling tea kettle from the flame and carried it back to the table, keeping a watchful eye on her young friend. "Abby? Are you sure you wouldn't like some toast as well? It would be good for you to have something in your stomach, dear."

"I just can't eat right now, Sister. My stomach is in knots. I just want to be there with him. To know that he's going to be alright for myself." Abby couldn't seem to find the energy to even pick her head up from her arms as she lay with her head cradled in them on the table.

"Let's go to the chapel." Rosita had on her, 'lesson' face as she gently grasped Abby by the arm and pulled until she stood up.

Within a few minutes, both women had made their way out of the house and across the yard to the chapel. Once inside, Rosita looped her arm through Abby's and simply stood at the entrance to the pews, looking straight down the aisle, her eyes were fixed to the cross. "Tell me what you see, child?"

"The cross." Abby replied.

"And what do you see...what do you think of when you see that cross?"

"Jesus...dying on the cross for all our sins." That calm started to wash over her.

"And why, my beautiful girl, did he do that?"

"Because he loved us so much that he didn't want our sin to seperate us from him eternally. He died on the cross to take our sins." Abby whispered reverently.

"Our father's love, Abby. Does it know boundaries or limitations? Does it recognize death if it is not his will?"

"No, Sister."

"My sweet, loving Abby, if it's Jethro's time to go home to be with our Father, then He will make it so and with good reason we may not understand but He does. And if it is His will, if Jethro's work here on this earth is incomplete, nothing will take him from us. But in either case, our Father is the only one who knows what is best for Jethro. We know that He loves Jethro more than anyone ever could, right?" The older woman looked with soft, caring eyes.

"Yes."

"Then we will sit right here and we will pray that God's will be done and that in His loving wisdom, He will give us the peace and strength to endure whatever His will might be."

The pew creaked in the quiet of the chapel and the only sounds that could be heard was the gentle breaths of two women with their heads bowed.

"Sister Rosita?" Abby whispered, clutching the other woman's warm hand. "We can still pray that He doesn't take Jethro yet though, right?"

Rosita smiled. "Of course it is, honey. We just have to realize that His answer isn't always what we want, but it is always for the best and made out of love."

Abby's sniffle was her only answer as she closed her eyes and prayed...and prayed...and prayed.

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Three hours and seventeen minutes into the flight...1:22am...Gibbs' temperature began to spike and Tony DiNozzo threw up all over the floor. He'd seen countless gruesome murder scenes, been in one too many hairy situations and laid to rest more friends and colleagues than he wanted to remember; Ned immediately coming to mind, but the thought of losing Gibbs was more than he could physically tolerate at the moment. Maybe if he'd had some sleep or some decent chow. Maybe if his head didn't have a death metal marching band parading through it or if this stinking bird wasn't bouncing around every two and a half minutes, maybe then he could have dealt with the boss' situation taking the turn for the worse they were all hoping it wouldn't, but it happened how it happened, which was why Tony was swishing water and spitting into a bucket that a crew member had supplied him with after he quickly cleaned up the vomit while Tony apologized repeatedly for while trying to convince the same crew member to allow him to speak to Gibbs.

"If he's gonna listen to anybody on this flight and not die, it's me. I'm his SFA, his right hand man...I'm the Starsky to his Hutch, the Crockett to his Tubbs. Hey, if I say something especially dumb, he'll pull through just so he can recover and head slap me." While he knew that not being permitted to be near Gibbs was in his best interest, healthwise, it still ate away a little of his soul to know that at a moment like this, when maybe-just maybe-he could return that 'you will not die' command-not that Gibbs was likely to take a command from Tony, more like he would be entertaining a heartfelt suggestion, he wasn't allowed near him. "Don't die, boss. Don't die, boss." became his mantra, a soft chant he mumbled just loud enough for his own ears.

He barely remembered the call to Vance or the ensuing conversation. Everything was becoming a hellish blur. He knew he should have been the one to call Abby, but he barely had the strength to hold his head up with the weight of what was going on and he didn't think he could bear to tell Abby that he may not be able to bring her Silver Fox home. He'd feel the full force of being weak and letting Vance tell Ducky and Ducky to tell Abby and so on and so forth until the rest of the team had been updated, but that was later. For now, he had only enough strength to hold his head up and keep whispering, "Don't die, boss...don't die, boss." It strongly resembled more of a prayer in the last hour and he wasn't ashamed to admit it. He just prayed that his prayers and God's will would be the same.

The next hours were hellish as he sat, watching the medical crew scurry around, loading him down with cold packs gathered out of ice chests that made horrible screeching noises as they were dragged over the plane floor and the man who could give any super hero a run for his money, be pumped full of antibiotics and saline this and that.

This was a nightmare and he'd never wanted to be in Germany so badly in his life. "Don't die, boss...please, don't let him die."

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Rosita made her way silently over the carpeted floor and tucked a pillow between the arm of the couch and Ducky's side, leaving the top at just such a height that the Scotsman could rest his head on it. He cast grateful, yet sad, worried eyes at Rosita, whispering his appreciation before both their eyes drifted back down to the sleeping young woman with tear stained cheeks, nestled snugly in Ducky's arms.

She'd been devestated when he'd shown up and relayed Tony's most recent update. She'd nearly worn a hole in the carpet, pacing back and forth, trying to deduce the outcome and then bursting into tears when she resigned herself to having no way to know. She was scared and she was worried...she felt helpless, but worst of all she was thousands of miles away. It was only when Rosita had forced her to sit with Ducky and grasped both their hands in hers as she prayed over and over again, that the young woman had been able to calm and finally to fall into an exhausted sleep.

The matronly woman covered them both with afghans, dimmed the parlor lights and whispered a quiet but heartfelt goodnight.

Ducky sighed, patting Abby's arm softly, said one last prayer and closed his eyes. All that could be done right now was to wait for them to arrive at Rammstein and for Anthony to call with another update as soon as he had one to give. He hoped it was before Abby had a chance to wake up again.

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"It's definately an infection. I...I didn't think it would come on so fast. Can they come on this fast, Duck?"

Tony's timing had been perfect. Abby had just gone upstairs to take a shower, leaving Ducky and Rosita in the kitchen with their tea, when the older man's cell phone rang. His young friend sounded simply exhausted and incredibly worried. Ducky wished he could be there right now, both to help in any way with Jethro's medical crisis and to give support to Anthony. Alas, here he sat.

"It's unusual that an infection presents so quickly but in cases such as this, it is not uncommon. Have they talked at all about the antibiotic cocktail they have him on?"

"The Navy Doc back at the field hospital said they had him on one of the strongest they could put him on to try and avoid this. He said if he got an infection it would be harder to treat because the dose they already had him on was so high."

For a moment, Tony sounded more than a little desperate; he actually sounded less like the seasoned agent he is and more like a frightened boy who's alone and afraid. Ducky wished he could be there with him. All he could do was to try to stay hopeful and be calm. "That is true, Tony, however, typically a docter in this particular situation will leave himself, or rather the patient, with at least a level if not two, to be increased and more aggressive should this very complication arise. I am sure the field docter would have done that, especially since his intention was to transport Jethro to Rammstein. He would leave the staff there with an avenue of attack should this very thing happen. Don't lose heart, my boy. We all know how tough Jethro is. It may get worse before it gets better, but it will be alright in the end. Any news yet concerning that leg?"

Both Ducky and Rosita looked up when they heard the water turn off upstairs. It was only a matter of time before Abby returned and would need to be told of this most recent hurdle.

Rosita, sensing Ducky's reluctance to have to tell her, reached across the open expanse of the table and took hold of his hand. He gave her a weak smile but squeezed her much softer and smaller hand in his.

"That's just the thing, Duck." Tony sighed, feeling more tired than he'd ever felt in his life. "The infection may be the good news right now."

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"This can't be happening." Abby's head rested in her hands, tears running down her cheeks. "After everything he's been through...it's not right. It's not fair!" she sobbed. "How much does one man have to suffer." she wept, crying harder when she felt Ducky and Rosita's arms go around her.

"Sweetheart, we don't know God's plan." Rosita spoke softly, running her hand over Abby's head.

"I...I know." she sobbed, her voice catching and tumbling over her grief. "It's just-Shannon and Kelly...and Mike...and-and..." With eyes red and puffy, Abby looked up and fixed desolate eyes, usually filled with happiness and cheer, on Ducky. "Is he going to lose his leg-if-if he even survives the infection?" she asked.

"Abby you mustn't think that way. He WILL survive this infection." Ducky insisted gently. "He will not lose his leg. The field docter did as much repair as possible under the circumstances and priority that the gunshot to his midsection would allow. He does need surgery to repair it properly, but the most immediate danger to his leg is over." Ducky took a seat at her side and put his arm over her shoulders, drawing her against him for comfort. "Abby...even if they'd been able to do all the surgery necessary to his leg right then and there, by Anthony's report, it would not have changed the outcome. His career as a field agent is over. This injury will never support the rigors required of a full duty agent; he'd never pass the physical, my dear. The infection postponing repair further to that leg will make it harder and a longer recovery time and I imagine, depending on just how long they must wait, his physical therapy will be a long and difficult road; especially given our Jethro's 'love' of hospitals." He tipped Abby's face to his with two well placed fingers under her quivering chin. "But, he will recover and we will all be there to help him in this new journey he must embark upon. Let no book remain unfinished, so we must turn the page."

She sniffed a few times, swiped tears from her cheeks and took a couple deep breaths. And she repeated this process until she regained a little control over her wayward emotions. She gave Ducky a hug, causing the older man to give her a questioning look, he sensed something more than an attempt to physically reassure him she would be alright or that she was seeking comfort. He was more suspicious when she stood and did the same with Rosita. Yes, their Abby was a hugger, no doubt about it, but this-her demeaner at this precise moment, was different.

"I'm going." she stated.

And there it was.

"Abby, perhaps-"

Red cheeked and puffy eyed, but clearly determined, Abby held up her hand. "I won't get in the way and I won't be another something for Tony to worry about or take care of. I have a ton and a million hours of vacation and this could practically be justified as FMLA. It's Gibbs." Her big, green eyes left no room for arguement.

Ducky looked at her long and hard, contemplating all the ways this could be a good thing and all the ways in which it could not be...not that it was his decision to begin with. With a sigh and a faint smile of acceptance, Ducky pulled Abby into his arms and replied softly, "How shall I help?"

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It hurt. Searing pain, like a white hot poker being twisted in his gut. So hot...he was so hot...and thirsty. He couldn't focus...couldn't think. He was supposed to do something? Or be somewhere? It was important, wasn't it? He cried out but his voice didn't sound right...hollow, like he was in a tunnel.

Tony? Why was Tony in his house? Wait...was he in his house?

Gibbs tried to lift his head but it felt so heavy. And Tony was saying something...touching his shoulder. What was he saying? Mike. Mike would tell him what Tony said. Gibbs lifted a weary, shaking hand and motioned for Mike to come closer. But Mike never moved. Tony did though. He leaned closer and said something...what did he say? Gibbs looked to his left, right into Shannon's eyes and asked, "What's he saying?" Shannon smiled at him and then Jen told him to sleep. That sounded like a good idea. He was tired and they could explain it when he woke up and took the iron out of his gut.

TBC...


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you to everyone who left a review, followed or favorited. It's great to get feedback. I own nothing and all mistakes are mine. Any reference to TV shows, movies, books, songs or the like are not mine but belong to whoever they rightfully belong to. In other words, if you recognize it, it doesn't belong to me. Also, I really liked the scenes with Kelly and her message to Gibbs, so I am keeping in line with those scenes as part of this storyline, again, I don't own them. Sorry this had taken so long to update and it is a bit shorter than my usual, I just wanted to get something posted and soon...try to get the mojo pumping with this one again. Since I started this before the season opener, I am not going to change my original plot ideas, with the exception of the Kelly part as mentioned above. So, obviously, this isn't going to follow cannon.

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When Abby turned down the hallway she was directed to by the nurse at the desk and she finally laid eyes on Tony, she began to cry. Within three strides he was to her and she was safely tucked under his chin and in his big, brotherly arms.

"I promised I wasn't going to be a burden. I promised I was going to help and I will, Tony, I swear, but can I just cry with you for a little while?" she sobbed, knowing that her vulnerability was safe with him.

His arms tightened around her and she could feel his chin move as he nodded.

"You cry all you need to Abbs. Cry for me too, sweetheart." he whispered. He couldn't. He was too afraid that if he started, he wouldn't stop...and DiNozzo's don't cry, he thought as a tear found it's way into Abby's raven locks.

They stayed in that hallway, holding on to one another as Abby cried until she was pretty spent and then they'd moved into the unit's family room. Well, Tony had pulled her there, more or left. As soon as her tears had been under control, Abby had wanted to go to Gibbs side, but Tony had insisted that she come sit and talk to him first. In actuality, his purpose was to prepare her. Sure, they'd seen the boss looking all kinds of rough before and Abby had been right there with them when Gibbs had gotten blown up years ago, but this...this was different.

The docs had him heavily sedated, but that wasn't even enough at some moments to keep him from thrashing a bit, whether all from pain, discomfort or whatever it was swimming around in the deep, dark recesses of that super sniper mind of his. Tony didn't know, but he did know that anyone with two good, working eyes...heck, somebody with a patch and cataracts could see the pain written all over his face. The worst moments though, were when he opened his eyes and you could tell he was looking for someone or that he was seeing things or people that weren't there.

He hadn't been prepared for that and he had no clue how he was gonna begin to prepare Abby, but he darn sure knew he wasn't lettin' her walk into it blind.

Abby was so anxious to get to Gibbs, she was ready to bounce right back out of the chair Tony put her in, but then she remembered her promise to Ducky. That, and another look at Tony, and she knew she needed to grab hold of her platform boots and pull. Her guys needed her and she wasn't going to let them down. She took a deep breath, said a quick prayer and reached for Tony's hand, surprising him when she calmly asked, "Are there any updates since you talked to Ducky before I left and what am I going to see when I get in there?"

"Ah..." Tony stammered, gathering himself after the mental whiplash he'd just gotten. "No big updates. Still on a crapload of mega antibiotics. No reason to believe that the surgery repairing the hole in his stomach isn't holding. His temps still too high, but it came down some." He smiled tiredly. "They're not worried it's brain damage high anymore."

Abby nodded stoicly.

"He's..." Tony stopped himself, about to say something dumb, like " _he's looked better_ ". "It's hard to see, Abbs. He's not aware...at all." he sighed. "He looks in pain or something...but I don't know if it's physical or..." Abby surprised him again when she scooted forward, her knees knocking lightly with his and took both his hands in hers.

"It'll be okay, Tony. I've got you and you've got me and he's got both of us and the big man upstairs has all of us. Now," she stood bravely. "Walk me back because I'm not ready to see him for the first time unless I'm holding your hand, and then I want you to take a break." She put her hand over his mouth when he began to protest. "Call Ducky. Let him know I'm here and okay. Talk to the team if you feel up to it. Then you will do the following before you come back and this is not negotiable." She continued firmly. "Eat food. Hydrate. Shower and sleep. It doesn't have to be for hours on end." She protested when his mouth opened to argue. "Minimum two hours sleep. I will recruit a nurse to monitor you. If we're going to help take care of Gibbs then we have to take care of each other and we can't do that if we don't take care of ourselves. Deal?"

He darn near saluted her. Instead he kissed her cheek and took her hand, leading her out of the family room and down the hall toward Gibbs' room. "If you weren't so much like a sister to me, Abbs, that would have been kinda hot."

Abby grinned, trying to ignore the tension building in her limbs as they drew farther down the hall. "You must either be really tired or really desperate if me being bossy is looking sexy to you." she played off. Her breath hitched a little when Tony slowed down and stopped outside a door. The walls were glass and partly covered by drawn curtains, but she could tell that they weren't totally blocking the view of the room. She felt it in her gut that if she looked, she'd see him through the glass and she didn't want to do that from out here. She felt too exposed in the hallway. Logically, she knew that with the curtains partially open, she and her reaction would be visible to anyone close enough, but somehow, being in the room itself felt more private. She jumped when Tony touched her arm. She hadn't realized how long she'd been quiet and she was sure from the tension she could feel throughout her body that she must have looked frozen in place.

"You don't have to go in now. You can take a time out if you want to." Tony squeezed her hand, brushing his hand over her cheek with his other.

Abby lightly bit her lower lip and shook her head. "It's not going to get any easier the longer I wait. I just always have this picture of him in my head; strong, proud and unstoppable...Superman, ya know. And it doesn't matter how many times I've seen him hurt, it's still always such a shock to the system to see him hurt, especially when he's...bad."

"I know, hun. Maybe we all really need to start making a bigger effort to stop seeing him as Superman." Tony joked, trying to soften the mood where he could.

"Yeah, or better yet, maybe he could start making a bigger effort to not get himself almost-you know."

He nodded and smiled. "You ready?"

"No." she replied honestly, but forced her feet a little closer to his room, letting Tony know she wasn't ready but it was time.

"Okay then. Let's do this." Tony wrapped his arm around her shoulders and walked with her through the door.

"Hey, Tony."

Abby jumped at the sudden voice from behind them.

"Oh my gosh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

Abby was looking into the gentle eyes of a young woman, maybe a few years out of nursing school. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a messy bun and her eyes were a beautiful shade of green. She had an easy smile and Abby felt instantly that they were going to get along really well.

"That's okay. I was a little keyed up." Abby smiled.

"Reggie, this is Abby. Abby, Reggie MacErney. She's Gibbs' primary nurse on this shift." Tony made introductions.

"It's a pleasure, Abby. Tony here's been chatting my ear off about all of you. I'm glad you arrived safe. Maybe you can help me out getting this one to take a break, or am I going to have the same trouble with you." She gave Tony a wink.

"My plan is to help, but I can't promise there won't be occassions when you may have to tell me to scram more than once. I'll try to keep it to a minimum though, as long as you promise me one thing, well, make that two things."

"And they would be?"

"One, that you'll take care of him like he's your own father."

Reggie's eyes softened and she smiled kindly. "He's a bit young to be my dad, I'm the youngest of eight, but I will. And two?"

"You'll tell me, us" she corrected, "Exactly what's going on. No sugar coating."

"I can do that." Reggie said seriously, reaching out and squeezing Abby's hand. "Right now, what I need is a few seconds of privacy for him. You don't need to leave the room, but if you could just turn around until I give the all clear."

Abby looked at Tony when he laughed a little. He explained as he nudged Abby to about face. "When his temp was still sky high, they had ice packs under his armpits and in his groin area." Tony indicated the crease where legs meet the groin area. "They also had a cooling blanket on him. Now that his temps out of the danger area, they took the cooling blanket off but he still spends fifteen minutes on, fifteen off with the packs. He's in the buff under that hospital chic blanket so no cuddling while I'm gone or you're gonna walk away with a much more intimate relationship with the boss than any of us have."

Abby slapped him on the arm. "So gross and way inappropriate."

"Well, I hate to break up the comedy act," Reggie smiled at them when they turned back around. She levered a friendly glare in Tony's direction, "And that was gross and way inappropriate." she added. "He's all ready for visitors. Ring the bell if you need anything. Tony, show her where his bells and whistles are so she can take over command while you're gone." She laughed at his smart salute. Reggie reached out and touched Abby's arm. "It really is a pleasure to meet you Abby, though I do wish it were under different circumstances. Now, before I go, you should know he's going to whistle and beep a bit but unless you start hearing sounds like you're in a submarine that's about to emergency dive, it's nothing to worry about. If you hear smething that makes you uncomfortable or you just really can't wait to ask me before I'm in again, ring me. If I can't come immediately, someone else will be in unless we're having an all hands on deck emergency and then you'll prbably already know that because they'll be noises around here like-"

"A submarine about to emergency dive?" Abby laughed.

Reggie smirked. "Oh I do like you. Alright kids, I'm off. I will be back to pack him fresh in another," she glanced quickly at her watch, thirteen minutes."

"Thanks, Reg."

"Anytime, Tony. Hold the fort while I'm gone, Abby." And with a wave, she disappeared out the door.

"She's great. He's gonna like her when he wakes up. Well, he will after he gets done hating everybody because he hates being hurt and in the hospital." Tony smiled and nodded, seeing the tension return to her body. Abby braced herself. Depite being in the room for the last few minutes, between Tony and Reggie, she'd had a really good excuse not to look closely at him. There was nothing stopping her now. Her eyes found him and tears immediately sprang to her eyes as she took him in. He never looked old; he never looked weak. When he'd been blown up, he'd looked vulnerable; but never in all the years she'd known him had Abby ever seen her Silver Fox look like he did in that bed right now. She didn't know how it was possible but he actually managed to look flushed and pale at the same time. The only thing on him, besides a ton of tubes and wires stuck all over him, was a folded white sheet that covered from his hips to mid thigh. There was heavy gauze covering the section of his leg and upper torso where he'd been shot and been operated on. It was his face that bothered her the most. It was as if every injury, every loss, every bit of pain and suffering he'd ever had was etched in his face and that alone made her want to gather him in her arms and cry.

"Do you think he can hear us?" she whispered, fighting the tears brimming in her eyes.

"I don't know, Abbs, but I talk to him like he can." Tony pulled her close, kissing her temple and whispering, "Talk to him, honey. You've always had a great connection with him. Talk to him until he comes back to us, Abbs.

TBC...


	4. Chapter 4

I apologize for the long delay in posting an updated chapter. Thanks to all of you who have continued to follow and reviews are much appreciated.

 **~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~**

There were a great many things he knew he should be aware of, but only one was forefront in his mind; the familiar weight on his chest. He kept his eyes closed for a minute more as he lifted his hand, anticipating the softness of her hair even before his fingers made contact. Tears came to his eyes, when finally he opened them.

"Hi Daddy."

He bussed her cheek with his knuckles and gave her a watery grin. "Hi sweetheart."

"You can't keep doing this, dad." Somehow she managed to frown while smiling. "You know that, right?"

"Wasn't trying to get shot, honey."

Kelly sat up and gave him a sad look. "But you weren't trying NOT to either."

Gibbs tried to sit up, a rational part of his brain knowing he couldn't with his injuries, but it wasn't pain or lack of mobility that stopped him; it was Kelly's hand on his arm and her firm, "Stop."

"You'll wake her and she's barely slept in the last forty-eight hours."

He looked over Kelly's shoulder and there she was, her head resting by his feet, fast asleep.

"Abby? What's she doing here?"

"Praying you don't die." Kelly stated, the concern evident in her forever youthful voice. "Hoping this will be the last time she has to watch you in a hospital bed, fighting for your life...begging God to not let you die."

There were at least a dozen ways he could try to deny any of this was his fault, but each time he tried to open his mouth he could see the cold truth in his daughter's eyes and he couldn't get the first word to cross his lips. So, instead, he settled on, "I never meant for my life to be this way, Kels. It was supposed to be you, your mom and me forever."

"No, dad. It wasn't."

 **~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~**

Tim clicked off his desk lamp and rubbed his tired, burning eyes. He'd done all he could do. The last twenty-four hours felt more like a week and he hadn't slept a minute of it. He was seriously contemplating just curling up under his desk and going to sleep right here. The thought of being under a desk in the bullpen instantly made him think of Kate and he smiled wistfully. Wasn't it a million years ago that Kate had dragged him out from under her desk by his ear? That had been even before he'd been the Probie on Gibbs team. A million years ago, he sighed, and yet only yesterday.

These walls echoed with voices of those lost or gone, and tonight they were so loud that they nearly drowned out the thoughts in his mind.

"McGee?"

The young man jumped nearly out of his chair. "Director? I thought you'd gone home,sir."

"There's a lot of paperwork and phone calls involved when you have an injured agent, a dead terrorist, an officer involved shooting and you're down two agents in your MCRT and one forensic scientist." He loosened his tie and with a grunt, pulled it from his neck and stuffed it carelessly in his coat pocket. "Did you find her?"

Tim frowned and shook his head. "I left messages everywhere I could think she might be or check in, but no one's seen her or if they have..." he shrugged, letting the rest hang in the ethos.

"How is Officer Teague?"

"There will be an investigation, but it was a good shoot and I'm confidant she'll be cleared. Formality, you know how it goes, McGee."

"Yes, sir." Tim shook his head, partly because it still boggled his mind sometimes and partly to keep himself awake. "Why do they think they can just make a break for it like that? I don't agree with what he did, any of it, but there's no denying that Budd was a genius. Yet, he thought he could get away on foot with armed agents all over the place like that? It doesn't make sense why they even try."

Vance leaned back against Tony's desk, flipping the toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other. "With some, I think it's pure desperation. When the weight of what they've done crashes down around their heads and they realize that their lives as they know it is basically over, they make one last, crazy attempt for freedom. And some," his jaw clenched, "like Budd just turn into cowards. I don't think he ever thought he could get away, McGee. I think Budd knew he would be shot and he ran because it was easier than being accountable for his actions. Everyone's a bad*** until they get caught."

"Any more word on Gibbs?"

"Holding his own for the time being. Not awake yet. Same as the last time Tony talked to you." Vance heaved himself up. "Go home, Tim. You're my team leader right now and I'm gonna need you."

"Yes, sir." Tim gathered his go bag and searched his pocket for his keys. It took him nearly half a minute to realize they were on his desk in front of him.

"Come on, McGee. My driver will drop you off on our way. I don't want you wrapped around a telephone pole."

He thought about protesting and then changed his mind. It wasn't a good idea to drive when he was this tired and he knew it. "Thank you, Director."

 **~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~**

Gibbs looked around, taking in the new location. Instantly knowing where they were. "That was a great weekend."

"I loved it when we came out here. The memory is a little tainted though, since the day you came out here and sat with your gun under your chin."

His face fell and he hung his head. He'd often wondered what Shannon and Kelly would think of him and his life if they could see him, but it hadn't occured to him or maybe he hadn't allowed it to, that they would see those moments of complete weakness. "That was a big low, Kelly. I never wanted you to see that. I haven't ever done that again."

"But you have, daddy. You've just done it more passively."

He felt the weight of her hand on his arm and slowly lifted his head, looking at her with shame filled eyes. Salty breeze caught her hair and lifted it and it nearly made him cry at the memory.

"You have to stop, daddy. The blame, the self-hate, thinking you're the reason people you love die. Mom and I died because Pedro Hernandez chose to live a life of crime and kill people to protect himself. Kate died because Ari chose to let his hatred for what his father did control his life. Jenny died because she couldn't bring herself to kill someone and that came back to haunt her. Ned died because Budd-"

"Okay, Kel! I hear you. I know I didn't kill anyone directly, but...if..." He was choking on the words. This was a conversation a father never wanted to have with his daughter; to have to admit failure. "I may not have been directly responsible for their deaths, but if I hadn't been in their lives, maybe...maybe those people who were so angry with me wouldn't have taken it out on them."

"And do you ever think about where their lives may have gone without you in them or that their lives turned out just the way it was meant to. You waste so much time being afraid to love with your whole heart...the way you used to love me and mom. Daddy," Kelly took his face in her hands. "You have to stop wasting every chance he gives you."

"Who gives me? What chances?"

Kelly looked at him with that infamous Gibbs stare. People often credited it to him; little did they know that the look was actually Shannon's originally. "Him." Kelly's eyes drifted skyward. "And the chances are chances to love again; to love with all your heart the way you're meant to."

He shook his head. "Honey, sometimes God gives ya one person you were meant to love and-"

"And sometimes he gives you more. Of course you were meant to love mom. You and mom taught each other how to love. Mom says you two grew up together and fell in love over and over again."

He smiled. That was true. His first love. The love that taught him how to live for another. Then again, when Kelly was born. So many times he thought he couldn't love Shannon any more than he did at that moment and then time proved him wrong and he fell in love with her more. "I have tried, Bean, but your mom..." Kelly was shaking her head and he puttered out. "Okay. The ex-wives were me trying to move on and it was for the wrong reasons. I really did like them though, even thought a time or two that it was love but I just was being too cautious. Nothing feels the same. Nobody makes me feel the way your mom did, Kelly and that's the kind of love that's worth it all."

"Look, Dad. We don't have a lot of time. You need to wake up soon and start fighting, really fighting. There are going to be a lot of changes in your life and they're going to be hard...maybe the hardest, but I promise you it'll all be worth it. This, coming up, it's your destiny, dad. You were meant to do this."

"Nothing could be harder than losing you and your mom." he said, sounding more defeated then ever.

"No, daddy!" Kelly pleaded. "Please, you have to stop making everything in your life about losing me and mom. We know you love us. We know we meant the world and more to you and we feel the same about you, but you...you..." She paced back and forth rapidly, kicking sand all around in her frenzied pace. Her pitch rose with her frustrated desperation to make him understand. If he couldn't come to terms...he'd never live the life he was meant to. She spun toward him again, her feet firmly planted and eyes blazing into his. "You think you're honoring our memory by holding back your heart, not letting yourself be truly happy and love someone again?! You disgrace our memory! Loving us the way you did, us loving you...that should have taught you how precious a gift love is! It's meant to be shared! Experienced every day! You've been so close for so long! All you had to do was open your eyes and see it. Reach out and touch her, love her and let yourself be loved. Stop living your life like the only thing left is to sacrifice yourself for not being home to die with us! You were spared for a reason!"

To say he was stunned would have been an understatement. Even if he ignored the tone and shouting, the things she was saying...disgracing their memory by not letting himself love...that stung worse than gettin' shot. Was she right? "Kel, I..."

"Trust your gut, daddy. Trust your heart even more. Be the man mom fell in love with but more importantly, you've got to be the man loving her made you. You hiding it away makes it worthless. Don't make it worthless, daddy."

His stomach began to ache, not surprising given the painful topic at hand. But then Kelly started fading, or getting further away? He couldn't tell because the ache was turning into a white hot, searing pain piercing his gut and radiating through his whole body. His vision blurred and he broke into a sweat. He could barely see Kelly now and he reached for her like his life depended on it.

"Fight. Fight for the life you were meant to have...for me, for mom...for all of us."

He opened his mouth but only a pain filled groan escaped. But he suddenly felt fingers, slender fingers between his own right before the pain forced his eyes shut tight and blackness overtook him.

 **TBC...**

As I said in earlier A/N's, I was fond of Kelly's appearance so I borrowed th idea and tried to make it my own for the most part (at least as far as dialogue is concerned). I do not own any of it (besides the dialogue) and meant no copyright infringement. Also, I know this is shorter than what I usually post but it seemed like a natural place to stop for now. Hoping for more soon. Thank you to all who have reviewed, favorited and followed. Thanks, Goats, for that nudge I needed my friend. All mistakes are mine.


	5. Chapter 5

I still own nothing.

 **~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~**

"Gibbs?" Her voice was even more husky than usual, the New Orleans influence heavier in her barely wakeful state. She was momentarily disoriented as to time and place. It was only her deeply ingrained love for him and protectiveness where he was concerned that supplied her exhausted, muddled brain with the knowledge that her beloved El Jefe was in trouble.

His right leg, the one not in a brace, kicked up, narrowly missing Abby's nose. She came out of her chair, sending it across the floor behind her with a loud screech that would have set a deaf man's teeth to aching. She didn't notice it though, her eyes were fixed to the man in the bed as she leaped to his side.

His eyes were squeezed shut, his jaw was clenched as his nostrils flared with distress and heart wrenching groans escaped his lips, making Abby tremble as she reached for his hand and the call button simultaneously. As another wave of pain washed over him, he clenched his fist, causeing Abby to gasp in pain since her own fingers were laced between his much larger, stronger ones.

Several things seemed to happen at once in the next moment. Gibbs suddenly stilled, going limp in his bed and Reggie came roaring through the doorway. She moved Abby with gentle, urgency and quickly set to checking her patient's vital signs.

Abby watched from by the window. She didn't recall backing across the room until she felt the windowsill against the small of her back. The sudden jolt released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and along with it, a torrent of fresh tears.

Reggie lifted each eyelid, satisfied with what she saw, she took a brief moment and looked over her shoulder. Abby had no color in her cheeks and she looked alarmingly pale. Reggie became worried that she was about to have more than one person fainting in this room. Gently but with a firm and loud enough voice to penetrate the fog she could see clouding Abby's eyes, she asked, "Abby, hun, you okay?" She didn't receive a response and said the young woman's name again, a bit louder this time and was rewarded by sharper, more focused eyes snapping back to her own.

"What's wrong with him?!"

Reggie breathed a little easier. "It looks like he passed out." She moved quickly to the doorway, pushing the chair toward Abby with a firm instruction for her to sit down. Surprisingly, she did without question. Reggie had just enough time to pull back as Dr. LaMont came rushing into the room, followed closely on his heels by Tony.

"Report Reg."

"Temp is elevated again, BP is high and I believe he's passed out."

The docter looked to Abby. "You were in the room with him, Miss?"

Abby nodded just as Tony ran into the room. Reggie grabbed him by the arm before he could get any further and gave him a quick update as the docter continued with Abby.

"He was sleeping-I was sleeping and then I heard him start to groan and he started moving around. And the next thing I knew he seemed to really be in pain so I hit the call button, but then he got really still." Her voice trembled as she spoke and her worried eyes kept drifting toward Gibbs.

"Get the ice packs back on him. I want blood drawn immediately."

"Should I increase his morphine, Dr. LaMont?"

"Increase by ..."

Abby lost her focus on what was being instructed as Tony crossed the room and took her hand.

"It's bad." She gulped, almost as if it were hitting her for the first time.

"He'll pull through this Abbs. It's the boss."

But Tony's eye's were swamped with worry and Abby heard his reassurances for what they were.

They could lose him and neither of them could bare to say the words out loud.

 **~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~**

She'd fought to stay in the room when the test results had come back and Dr. LaMont had suggested they meet to discuss them in a consultation room. But after Reggie promised to stay with him and Tony cajoled relentlessly, she agreed.

The chair she sat in felt like it was made of stone, but that was probably because every muscle in her body was drawn tighter than a bow string ready to be loosed in battle.

"It's not great news, but I want to start off by saying it's not as bad as it could be." Gordon LaMont leaned forward in his chair. "His temperature has risen, however it's not as high as it was when he first arrived. I don't feel the need to put him back under the cooling blanket just yet, but if his temp were to rise again that will be my course of action."

"What's our other courses of action, Doc?" Tony held Abby's hand as they listened. He did not like the look on the docter's face in reaction to that question, nor did Abby by the way she tightened her grip.

"His blood work came back with levels that are less than I'd been hoping for. To put it simply, the infection is not responding as positively to the antibiotics as I had hoped. We can't allow it to get any further out of control."

"So what then?" Abby didn't like where this seemed to be going. She'd never understood Gibbs' gut feelings the way she did in this moment.

"I'm bumping the antibiotic cocktail up. It's as high as we can go." He gave his patient's friends a sympathetic look. "At this point, it's all we can do. We give him the highest dose we can administer, keep his temp from elevating and try to bring it down as much as we can, hopefully the infection will subside and that will help with his temp. It's all on the antibiotics and Gibbs' now...and God, if you believe."

"Do you?" Abby whispered.

"Do I believe?"

"Yes."

He smiled. "Miss Scuito, I have seen too many men and women leave this hospital when medical science said they shouldn't have NOT to believe."

 **~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~**

"You certainly have a cheering section, Gibbs." Reggie talked to him as she changed his IV bags. "I understand how much easier it is to stay asleep, and don't get me wrong now, I'm not suggesting you wake up and start doing laps around the unit, but you really do need to wake up soon. From everything Tony's told me and by the little I've seen of Abby, you're quite the fighter. And I mean to tell you, that goes a long way around here. Besides," she turned, finished with her duties for the moment, and looked at him. "I've seen those beautiful blue eyes and I'd like to see them open under your own steam and with a little spark there. I'm not immune to a good looking older man, especially if he has gorgeous eyes."

"See boss. Wake up and flirt with the nice young lady. If you don't convince her to give ya a sponge bath, then you'll leave me no choice than to try to finnagle one of my own."

Abby slapped Tony's arm. "Tony!"

Reggie laughed and winked at Tony. "You're too healthy to warrant a sponge bath DiNozzo."

"What? You don't take a man's emotional health into account?" he teased, ignoring Abby's assault and hugging her more closely to her side. They both needed a little light heartedness.

"How's he doing?" Abby asked.

"No change right now. But that also means that his temp hasn't risen and that's a good thing."

It was then that Abby noticed the two reclining chairs against the far wall of Gibbs' room. Reggie's eyes followed hers.

"I figured there would be no getting you two out of this room again until he wakes up and is a little more out of the danger zone, so I called maintenance and had them move those in here so you two can get some rest." She narrowed her eyes. "And I'm emphasizing the get rest portion of that sentence. Even once he wakes up and is out of the woods, it's going to be a long haul for him and he's going to need you both healthy and strong."

Abby nodded and gave Reggie a smile as she made her way toward the door.

"Thanks, Reggie." Abby said.

"I'm fine." Was Tony's stoic reply.

Reggie stopped, gave him a playful wink. "The verdict's still out, but you show promise, DiNozzo." She could hear Abby giggle as she left the room.

 **~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~TTP~~**

"Choking is not going to score you a sponge bath."

Tony swallowed the giant mouthful of pizza and gave Abby a glare. "DiNozzo's don't choke on pizza. Pizza is Italian food. It's practically mother's milk to us."

"Well, it's a good gauge." She replied, taking another bite of her slice.

"For what?"

"That he's doing better and you're feeling better about it."

Tony didn't deny it. He shrugged. "His temp's back down and that's a good sign. Doc said the blood tests should be back soon, but that he thinks it will show improvement. Besides, I was starving."

She agreed with him. Gibbs temperature had dropped to it's lowest yet about an hour and a half ago. She also knew that no matter how hungry he was, if Tony hadn't felt more reassured that Gibbs was really improving he never would have agreed to eat. She let it go without further arguement.

"Think he might wake up soon?" She asked instead, finishing her slice off and wiping her hands on the napkin in her lap.

"Maybe more rest is good." Tony shrugged. "I don't know. Part of me wants him to wake up and start barking at me about not being back in DC handling the case and part of me doesn't want to see him in pain."

"There's not much to the case anymore." It had been twelve hours since Gibbs' relapse and Tony had talked to Director Vance and McGee three times in the duration. He'd been filled in about Budd's escape attempt and consequent death at Teague's hand, not that it wasn't a justified shoot. The kids had been placed in a secure location and the process for prosecuting them under juvenile statutes had begun. Vance had gotten agents assigned to fill in for his absent agents. Actually, all that was left was a pile of paperwork and for all of them to get some real rest. Well, and for Gibbs to recover so that their lives could get back to some semblence of normalcy and no one had to even contemplate living in a world with out their loved friend and mentor.

"Paperwork's gonna be a real pain. I actually feel bad for McGee and usually I love it when McPaperWeight has to do most of the paperwork."

"If you really feel like you should be there, Tony-"

"No way, Abbs." He cut her off, though not harshly. "I'm not leavin' ya here to do all this on your own. Besides, it's not like I'd be anywhere else." He looked over and gave Gibbs a long stare. "Maybe if Budd were still sucking air and at large, but definately not now. Tim can handle this." He said with confidence. And then it hit him again, curling his inside around. "He's gonna need to get used to it. He's gonna be SFA."

Abby reached across the pizza box and twined her fingers around Tony's. "We'll get through this. We'll get him and each other through this. He's lucky to be alive." She said softly.

Tony looked at her with sad, uncertain eyes. "Yeah, but when they tell him he can't be an Agent anymore, is he gonna see it that way?"

She wanted to tell him that Gibbs would; that she'd...she'd, well she didn't exactly know what she'd do until Gibbs saw it that way but she wasn't willing or ready to fully process that situation yet, and she sure couldn't force any words past the huge lump taking up residence in her throat right now, so she merely stood up and walked around their dinner to curl up in Tony's lap.

He held her tight, letting her presence give him comfort and hope that his was doing the same for her.

 **TBC...**


	6. Chapter 6

**~~Turn The Page~~**

Wow, the only place to start is with an apology. I lost the muse with this one for a LONG time and I'm going to try and get the story cranking again. Obviously, the shows plot and the one I designed for this story are totally different but that's the beauty of fiction, lol. Hope someone is still reading...and if you are, it would mean a lot if you'd leave even a short review. Thanks. Also, I apologize for a mistake made in Chapter One. Gibbs was evacuated to Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany because it's the closest base to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center where most military men and women are taken care of when faced with serious medical injury while in regions like Iraq and Afghanistan. I thought Ramstein was the hospital...it's not.

 **~~TTP~~**

It was quarter after 1pm and Reggie had just finished getting briefed on the status of her patients. Thankfully they'd lost no one overnight and a couple people were on a very healthy mend. The young woman tried her best not to have favorites, but she'd found in her job, as is so common in life, some people or circumstances worm there way more deeply into your heart. One such example was Leroy Jethro Gibbs and his friends.

Reggie had learned, coming onto this new shift, that Gibbs had improved overnight even if he was nowhere near out of the woods yet. His temperature had decreased into the lower hundreds and his most recent bloodwork showed that the infection's hold was showing signs of loosening , though he had yet to regain consciousness again.

She made her way down the hallway toward his room, putting on a smile as she opened the door, she prepared to give the occupants a warm greeting, but as she stepped through the door the sight she was greeted to softened her smile. The night nurse had mentioned that Tony and Abby had stayed awake all night, waiting for Gibbs to open his eyes and watching his vitals stabilize a little more with each reading. The news hadn't surprised Reggie in the least, nor did the fact that the lack of sleep and the stress of the situation had finally taken its toll on the two.

Tony and Abby lay on their respective recliners, a little jumbled, but soundly asleep. Quietly, she made her way to Gibbs' bed and checked that his chart matched the brief she'd received. Then she went about checking his vitals and his IV bags and lines. She had checked the last line and was reaching for his chart when the ruffle of movement caught her astute eye.

He was awake and looking right at her. Reggie smiled at her charge and turned more fully toward him. "Good afternoon, Agent Gibbs." She said softly. "It's wonderful to see those beautiful blue eyes open." He blinked at her but made no attempt yet to speak. "I'm going to call Dr. LaMont and wake your friends so we don't give them a fright. Agent Gibbs, you don't have to speak if it's uncomfortable and I can't give you any water just yet, but could you please nod if you can hear and understand me without any difficulty?"

Slowly, he nodded and she smiled even more. "Excellent. Thank you. Just lie back and relax for a few minutes while I get the docter, alright?" She gave his hand a squeeze and went out into the hall.

Gibbs now had a clear view of the room and where Reggie had been standing, he could see those 'friends' she'd been referring to. DiNozzo and Abby were sleeping on a couple recliners over by the window. He wondered how long he'd been here, wherever here was. His second thought was why DiNozzo was asleep in a chair intead of running the team. Where was Budd? What about Luke? He knew he'd been shot...and then he could feel it.

The pain was manageable. He didn't know if that was because it wasn't bad or because they had him on some really good drugs. But, if Tony was here instead of at NCIS, it must be pretty bad he figured. And then he moved his head and his vision seemed to move with slow motion...yeah, good drugs.

Gibbs eyes cruised slowly around the room. It was your average hospital room with all the bells and whistles. Movement from the doorway caught his eye and he saw the nurse...Reggie, was it...with a taller man, he assumed was the doc she'd gone to get. At almost the exact same time, he heard a sharp gasp across from his bed. His vision blurred as he moved his head too quickly to look. All he caught was an Abby shaped blur before it collided with white.

Reggie smiled as she walked through the door, turning to move toward Tony and Abby to wake them as she'd said, when she realized that Abby was awake.

Abby opened her eyes and immediately came alert. Gibbs was awake and looking around. She gasped in surprise and joy and leaped...tried to leap, at least, out of the recliner. Unfortunatly, she got tangled in the blanket covering her and when her stocking clad feet met the waxed hospital floor, it was a freshly sharpened blade on an ice rink. This is gonna hurt was the only thought she had as she felt herself start to go down...and then she was upright and staring at Reggie.

"Careful. Tony will lose his mind if he has to look after two of you." Reggie teased, steadying Abby a little more.

"Thanks." Abby breathed, her eyes shooting back to Gibbs who was staring right back at her. "Gibbs." she whispered. She reached over and swatted at Tony's legs but caught nothing but air since she was too far away. "Tony!"

He jerked awake, clenching the arms of the chair. "Wha...Boss!"

Like sychronized swimmers, they moved toward the injured man.

"Whoa, whoa...everyone hold on please." Dr. LaMont halted the semi-dash. He gave them a gentle smile. "I know how much the two of you have been waiting for this but give me a little time to check our patient out and have a chat and then I promise, you can visit for a while. Okay?"

Abby bit her bottom lip, wanting so badly to touch him. She really needed to have that contact with his eyes open; to know that he knew that she was here, but she knew that he needed to be looked over first. She kept her eyes on him as the docter removed the stethascope that was draped over his neck and fixed it in place. She felt Tony's fingers curl protectively over hers.

His vitals taken and satisfactory, Dr. LaMont pulled up a chair and sat close to his patient's bed. "Special Agent Gibbs, my name is Dr. Gordon LaMont. I'm sure you have many questions and I'll do my best to answer them all. While, I can't have you drinking any water at the present time, I understand your throat must be quite dry and probably uncomfortable to talk."

For the first time, Gibbs attempted to speak. A very garbled and scratchy "yeah" eeked out. His head felt so fuzzy. It was hard to concentrate and his world felt like it was running in slow motion.

"Yes, well that's to be expected. Reggie will get you a few ice chips and that should help coat your throat abit and make it more comfortable for you to talk."

Reggie was at Gibbs' side before the docter was even completly through saying it. "Here you are, Agent Gibbs." She offered, extending her hand and offering the ice chips.

Gibbs eagerly opened his mouth, accepting the offering. He closed his eyes and sighed as the chips melted and the cool liquid ran down his parched throat. It disappeared quickly and Gibbs opened his eyes, searching expectantly for more. Reggie turned to the docter, who nodded his consent, directing only that this be the last until they were certain it wouldn't cause any nausea. Seconds later the cool liquid was gone again and Gibbs' looked once more around the room. Abby looked like she was about ready to jump out of her skin and Tony, though doing a much better job of hiding it, looked about two steps behind her. He made eye contact with Tony and nodded slowly at him. He watched his SFA as his eyes registered the unspoken communication and a little of that tension melted from Tony's shoulders. Gibbs then picked his hand up off the bed and crooked his fingers at Abby. The movement was miniscule and most people would have missed it, but Abby was at his side in a flash with those same fingers grasped tenderly in her smaller hand.

"S'okay, Abbs." he croaked. A tear leaked from her eyes but she gave him a huge smile and nodded her head. Gibbs turned back toward Dr. LaMont and roughly tried to clear his throat, finally getting out, "So... what's... the bill,... doc?" The sentence, short as it was, exhausted him.

"First things first, Agent Gibbs, if you'd indulge me?"

"Gibbs...just Gibbs." The older agent rasped.

Dr. LaMont smiled. "Of course. Do you know where you are, Gibbs? You have regained consciousness a couple times since arriving and we have given these small bits of information so I'd like to try and establish if you have any memory of your time here up til now. It's alright if you don't remember." He assured.

Gibbs shook his head. "S'all...foggy."

"Okay. That's okay. It's to be expected. You're at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, just outside-"

"Ramstein." Gibbs finished. Gibbs knew most serious medical evacs out of Iraq and Afghanistan were sent to Ram AFB for admittance to LRMC. He'd been a guest here when he'd been nearly blown to bits during The Gulf. He closed his eyes at the painful memories that time in his life held and a fleeting memory of Kelly danced through the edges of his mind, but it didn't seem right. It wasn't a memory of their life...it was...more recent, but how did that make sense?

"Gibbs?"

Reality clunked back and his eyes met the docter's. "Are you alright?"

Gibbs felt Abby's fingers tighten around his. When he answered, "yeah", he may have been speaking to the docter but it was into Abby's worried eyes that he was looking. "Just zoned out for a second." He said to her, trying to give her a reassuring smirk. From the corner of his eye, he noticed that Tony had also edged closer. Gibbs turned his attention back to the doc. "How long have I been here?" he asked.

"Just less than 72 hours now. You remained at the field hospital less than 6 so-"

"S'okay, doc, I think I can do the math." Gibbs replied. His head was starting to clear a little and he was getting slightly uncomfortable. In the last, say, 15 seconds it had occurred to him that his butt was feel a bit numb and it was not a pleasant feeling. Without a lot of thought, he tried to scoot himself up and relieve some of the pressure to his rear. The pain that seared through his middle sent a white flash behind his eyes and he cried out as his eyes slammed closed.

Dr. LaMont leaped forward, putting firm pressure on his chest to keep the older man from moving anymore in his pain while instructing his nurse to administer a proper dosage of morphine into the drip. "Just try to relax your body and breath, Gibbs. The morphine will act quickly." LaMont watched as Gibbs took an obviously hard frought deep breath, the muscles in his neck corded and twitching with his effort to remain still as instructed. "Just breath, my friend, just breath. Relief is coming, I promise you.

At the foot of the bed, Tony's fists clenched open and closed as he watched Reggie push the strong pain relief through the drip. His focus bounced between Reggie, Gibbs and Abby as his friend stroked Gibbs hair. Her mouth moved and he knew she was either praying or soothing...knowing Abby, it was a little of both. He hated feeling so helpless!

Gibbs concentrated on making his body relax; easier said than done. His muscles seemed to have a mind of their own right now. Slowly...so slowly, the pain began to subside to a more tolerable level and Abby's touch and soft voice broke through.

"Breath, Gibbs. It's almost over. Shhhh, just breath...breath."

Reggie reached out, resting her hand on his forearm when she saw his body begin to lose some of its tension. "Good job, Gibbs."

After another minute, Gibbs' eyes opened and he blew a tight breath out through his nose.

"Please try not to move. As you just experienced, you're still very tender."

"Yeah." Gibbs huffed, sweat dripping down his cheek. "No kiddin', doc."

"I'd like to check your wound and make sure you didn't pull any stitches, internally or externally. We'll get you down to have a scan."

"I remember being shot." He was uncomfortable and getting irritated. "Someone wanna tell me what's goin' on?"

"Gibbs, I will answer any question you have, but I cannot stress how imperative it is for us to make sure you've not ruptured your internal sutures." LaMont pleaded with his patient.

"Please, Gibbs." Abby begged. "Please just listen to him. You ave to trust him."

Although the pain had significantly subsided, there was still a burning sensation in his gut and it fueled his irritation. "I don't know him, Abby!" he barked.

"But you know me." She replied gently. "You trust me?"

His eyes softened and the growing irritation fizzled at her tone. The worry in her eyes took the wind from his sails. He nodded.

"Then let them do the tests."

"Okay." He agreed. He looked back at LaMont, his blue eyes hardening slightly. "But I want answers sooner rather than later. Understood?"

"Loud and clear." LaMont turned to Reggie. "Call down and let them know we're on our way. Anything not an emergency can wait."

"Yes, docter. Do you want me to send Donna in to assit in checking his external stitching?"

"No. I'll look down there." LaMont answerd.

Reggie nodded and swiftly left the room.

LaMont began preparing Gibbs and the bed to be mobile. "I can fill you in a bit while we get this done if that's what you want, however, I can't gurantee your privacy as we move through the hospital."

He thought it over. As much as he wanted answers, he didn't want distractions. "You gonna have time after you're done doing this test?"

"Unless I have an emergency, you will have my undivided attention."

"Fine. I can wait." Gibbs conceded, closing his eyes as he felt the morphine pulling him toward sleep.

"Very good then. Thank you for your patience, Gibbs."

Gibbs heard Tony snort and he opened his eyes to glare at his SFA. "Budd better either be dead or in custody for you to be standin' here watchin' me, DiNozzo."

"Dead, boss. The kids are in custody. McGee's got this." Tony told him firmly.

"Don't need you holdin' my hand when there's a job to do." Gibbs added.

Tony stiffened. "It's handled, Gibbs."

"Family first." Abby whispered, trying to diffuse the tension.

Reggie further aided the effort when she reappeared. "They're ready for us, docter."

"Thank you, Reggie."

Two orderlies appeared and took their places, manuvering the bed to be moved out into the hall. Abby stepped up to his bedside. She bent and kissed Gibbs' temple, whispering in his ear, "Be good and don't eat any innocents."

He did smile at that.

"We'll probably be about an hour." LaMont told them as the orderlies pushed Gibbs out of the room. He laid a reassuring hand on Abby's shoulder. "It's just a precaution and I'll send word if we find a problem, so no news will be good news."

She nodded and thanked him as he left the room to catch up to his patient. Abby turned to Tony. "He didn't mean anything. You know how he hates hospitals and not having answers."

Tony nodded, opening his arms to her. "I know, Abbs." He told her as she walked into his embrace. "He's gonna be a bear for awhile. I'm tough enough." He felt her nod against his chest.

TBC...


End file.
